Shock-absorbing device for vehicles.



c. H. POSTER.

SHOCK ABSORBING DEVIUE FOB VEHICLES.

nruornow mum my. 21, 1901.

918987, Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

UNITED STATES rmrnnrorrlcn CLAUD H. FOSTER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO SHOCK-ABSOBBING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Patented April 20, 1909.

No. 918,987. Specification of Letters Patent.

Applicatioufiled January 21, 1007. Bertal No. 358,210.

7 all wlwm t't-may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUD H. Fosrnn, a uitmenof the United States, residing at llleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and Eltate of Chic, have invented a certa n new and pseful Improvement in Shock-Absorbing Devices for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawm :OlblTlg shocks given to vehicles and for re- This invention relates to devices for a iucing the extent of vibration between the -:-.;s'les and hodresof the same, for the purpose of preventing ln ury to the springs and over coming unpleasant and injurious vibrations of the vehicle bod It has for itsob ect the production of adevice of'this kind which is extremely simple in constructionand eflectivc in operation;

which maybe readilg adjustedto compensa'te'fort'he wear of t arts which ma be easily assembled,- uic y moved from the ve icle, an whichjis withal cheap ofconstruction. Generally 3 king, the invention may be defined as consisting of'the'com nations of elements embodied 1n theclairns hereto an- 5 nexed. V y I In the-drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevat on 'of a device constructed in accordance -with ihy invention; Fig. 2 illustrates'a'sideclevation thereof partly in section. a Fig. 3 is a-perspective view showing one manner of applyin my device to a vehicle and Fig. 4 is a sim; ar view representin my evice applied to a vehicle equipped wit a {all elliptic spring.

The device consists of a pair of more or less flexible metallic plates 1 and 2, which plates are secured together at their endsby means of bolts 3 extendin through the end portions of the plates and t rough spacers interposed :herebetween. The s acing means herein consists ofspac'mg plates 4, 4", which maybe riveted or otherwise suitablysccured to the==plate 1. less thickness than that ordinarily required between the ends crease the distance between the plates 1 and 2 to the required width, two or more washers or shims 5 may tes 4-, 4', and the adjacent ends ofi platefl. c' slots 6 in plate .2, through bolts 8 extend are elongated for a pur use to be hereinafter described. pacin U, can rallies plate1,;are threaded or said flange and the s The plate'l'is' provlded with a longitudinal a pliedto an 1%;-

- acings 13 and the p ates 1 and 2.

the longitudinal central These spacing plates are of' of the plates and, to inbe inserted between the;

whwhi-the ception of the bolts 3, whereby the ordinary nut of the bolt serves as a lock nut to prevent the unscrewing of the bolts. 1 The plate 4. is

extended below lates 1 and 2 and may have its lower end r uced or narrowed to forms generally triangular extension 4". To this extension there is pivotally secured an angle iron oil 7, by means of a bolt 8 which ex? tends t rough the vertical flange of said clip,

4 and through suitable washers 9,

through the be 1; being provided with a nut 10. The horizontal flange 7lof the an is plate is provided with a central hole for 51s reception of ,the corresponding bolt head on the spring,

and the length of such flange is sufiicient to permit the clips by which the spring is secured-to the axle to pass over the flan e,

forming a secure attachment between t e pring.

slot 1', through which extends a stud 11, the inner end of which is connected in any suitable manner with the'metallic plate 12 having on each side thereof a leather or raw-hide facing or plate 13. secured to plate 12 as by studs or rivets 13. The plate 12 and facings 13 are of greater thickness than-the normal width of the space between the plates 1 and 2,wvhereb the plates must be spread apart by the slice and roduce frictional enagement between the i It w ill be apparent that, when the friction device consisting of plate 12 and facings 13 occupies ortion of the space between the lates 1 and 2, the friction between said p ates and the faclngs 13 is at a minimum. Itwill be further apparent that, as said friction device is moved away from the center toward either of the ends of the dates 1 and 2, there will be an increasln ictional engagement between the same an said plates the friction increaslng w th the increase of the distance from the center. As the leather or raw-hide facin s wear a washer or shim 5 may-be remove from between the ends of the plates and the bolts 3 may again be tightened, thus preventlng an undue decreasejn the friction between said facings and the plates These facing-s may be .1 and 2 as the said facin s wear away. lf des'irable,. thc' amount 0 friction which is exerted between eater. 'ward one end of the e meplish d y meki et s )ace between one end of the plates greater t ran the space between the other end thereof.

In Fig. 3, my device is shownas applied to a vehicle having half spring thereon, as a semi-elliptic spring. In this case, flange 7 is operatively connected to the axle by being secured to the s ring 14 throughthe clips 15 which secure tie spring to the axle 16. in applying my device to a vehicle havin a ha fspring, it will only be necessary, in ad( ition to clip ing the flange 7 to the spring, to bore a ho e in the vertical flange 17 o the angle bar usually rovided for the body frame and to insert t e stud 11 therethrough. a By means of the nut 18 and spiing washer 19, the stud may be firmly secured tosaid flange. It will be understood, of course, that the roportions of parts in my device are such t at, when applied to a veh1clehaving a half or Qami-elli tic's ring the friction device will be norma y a out half way between the ends of the plates when the stud is secured to theflange 17.

In 4, I have shown the manner of applying my device to. a vehicle having a com late or full elliptic spring. In this, case, the ange 7 is operatively connected to the axle by being secured to the lower part of the vertical plane of the frame.

the spring 20 in the same manner as it is a plied to the spring 14. The u per half 21 of the spring 20 will be providbd with an angle iron clip 22, similar to clip 7 one flange 23 of which will be secured to the upper half of the spring by cli s in the same manner as flange 7 is secure to the lower half of the spring. The friction device will be operatively connected with'the body or frame by securing the stud 11 to the vertical flange of the clip 23 in the same manner as the stud in Fig. 3 is connected to the flange 17 of the frame. The proportions of arts in my device when used with a comp etc or full elliptic spring will be such'that, under normal conditions of load, the friction device will generally occupy the longitudinal central portion of the space between the plates '1 and 2, which is normally the point of least friction.

The clip 7 is reversible, enabling it to be applied to either side of the plate 4, thus accommodating the device equall well for application to a spring which 1s located within the vertical plane of the frame of a vehicle or to a spring which is located outside The employment of' the bolt 8 and washers 9 as a means of connecting the clip 7 with the plate 4 permits of sufiicient rotary movement of the clip with reference to the device to'allow and compensate for the endwise movement of the body of the vehicle. At the same time, the provision of the elongated slot '6 in the plate 2 renders the device flexible and permits it to yield tdsideswayingof the body without injury to said device. In normal operation and under normal conditions, n1 device ofl'ers a minimum resistance to the vi rations of the spring when the plate 12 and facings 13 are at or near the center of the longitudinal plates, witlran increasing resistance as the parts 12 and 13 move from the center toward either end of the longi tudinal plates 1 and -2, according as the spring is deflected under a load or shock, and is bowed or arched under rebound.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. The combination, with the axle and frame of a vehicle, of a pair of. vertically extendin spaced" plates, means for connecting said plates to one of the aforesaid vehicle members, a friction devibe interposed between said plates and operative] connected with the other vehicle member, t e thickness of said device being greater than the normal width of the space between said plates, and means whereby the space between said plates may be diminished to compensate for the wear of said friction device, substantiaily'as specified. 2. The combination, with the axle and frame of a vehicle, of a pair of vertically ex tending plates pivotally connectedto one of the aforesaid vehicle members, a friction device interposed between said plates and occupyinga position intermediate between the ends of the plates and operatively connected to the other vehicle member and being of greater thickness than the normal width of the space between said plates, one of said plates being flexibly secured to the other to accommodate side-swaying .of the vehicle body, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the axle and tudinal plates connected together adjacent to their ends and o eratively connected with one of the aforesaid vehicle members, a friction device interposed between said plates in the space between the points of connection and being of greater thickness than the normal width of said space and bein operatively connected with the other vehic e member, and means connecting said plates to permit relative longitudinal movement thereof, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the axle and frame of a vehicle, of a pair of vertically extending flexible plates operative] connected with one of the aforesaid vehic e members and connected together at their ends, a friction device interposed between"- said plates, normally occupying the longitudinal central portion ofthe space therebetween and operatively connected with the other of S8l d members, said device comprising a metallic plate or backin and one or more facing pieces or plates t erefor of leather or similar material adapted to engage the inner faces of .195 7 frame of a vehicle, of a pair of flexible,longiin the spam ,between the connected portions of said plates and oporativrly connccted'with the other vehicle member, the thickness of said device being greater than the normal width of the space between said plates, and means whereby the spacebetween said plates maybe diminished to accommodate and compensate for the wear of said friction device, substantially as specified.

(5. The combination with a vehicle axle and frame, of a pair of longitudinel plates spaced apart andhaving removable washers or shims interposed between the ends thereof, and a friction device slidably mounted between said lates and operatively connected with the ot ier of said vehicle members, substantially as specified. 7. The combination, with the axle and frame of a vehicle, of a pair of plates having their ends connected, it flange pivot-ally sccured toone end of said plates, means for securing said flange to one of the aforesaid ve hicle members, a friction device interposed between said plates, and means for connecting said device to the other of said vehicle members, the plates being arranged to permit of relative movement therebetwecn to accommodate side-swaying of the vehicle body, substantially as specified.

8. The combination, with the axle and frame of a vehicle, of a spring on said axle, a pair of plates having pivotally secured at one end thereof a fiange'adapted to be secured to the spring, a. friction device interposed between said plates and slidably engaging the same, and a stud projecting from said device and operatively connected with the other vehicle member, substantially as specified.

9. The combination, with the axle and frame of a vehicle, of a pair of plates pivotally connected to one of the aforesaid vehicle accommodate side swaying of' the vehicle one of said members, a friction device interposed between said plates and operatively'connected to the other vehicle member and bei of greater thickness than the normal widt of the space between said: plates, oneof said plates being flexibly secured to the other to body, substantially as specified.

10. A device for the purpose specified com-. prising a pair of plates, one or more bolts extending through the ends of the said plates, plates havi an elongated slot or slots for said bolt or bo provided with means Whcrebyt ey may members may is, said' lates being i pivotally connected with a vehicle member, and a friction device interposed between said plates and having .nwanswhercby it. may be connected to a vehicle member, substantially as specified. v

I 1 I. A device for the purpose specified, comprising a pair of plates having their ends connected and their intermediate portions spaced apart, a flange ivotally secured ad accnt to one end of said plates, and a friction device interposed betw een said Jlates, the connectingmeans for the ends 0 the plates [Admitting relative longitudinal movement thcrebetween, substantially asspecificd .I A device for the purpose specified com prising a pair of plates a mood apint, one of said plates having asiot t crein, a tango pivotally secured torsaid plates, and a friction device interposed between said plates and having; a stud projectin substantially as specific 13. A device for the purpose specified com-- prisin a pair of plates spaced apart, lone of said p ates having a slot therein, a flange pivotally secured to one end of said plates, and a friction device interposed between said plates and having a stud projecting through said slot, and means connecting said plates to permit relative longitudinal movement therebetween, substantially as specified.

14. A device for the urpose specified'comprising a pair of plates aving spacing means interposed between extending through said ends and the spacing mews, one of said plates having elongatet th rough said slot,

the'ends thereof, bolts slots for said bolts, an extension projecting from one end of said plates, a flange pivotally secured thereto, a friction device interposed between said plates, and a' stud projecting members and operatively connected with the l other vehicle member, the thickness of, said device beinggreater than the normal w dth of the space between said spaced members, and

washers or shims inthe axle and means whereby the space between the spaced e diminished to accommodate and compensate-for the wear of said friction device-substantially as specified. s 1,7. Thefcombination, with frame of, a vehicle, of a pair of flexible spaced plates connected with one of the aforesaid vehicle members. friction device operahe axle and said plates may be varied to ncconnnodate the wear of said friction device.

18. lhe combination, with the axle and ranie of s vehicle, of a pair of flexible spaced plates connected with one of the aforesaid i l i vehicle members, a friction device opera-L tivelyconnected with the other vehicle member and engaging opposite portions of said plates intermediate of, and means for connecting the ends of said plates, said means )ermitting relative longitudinal movement etwcen said plates.

19. The combination, with the axle and frame of a. vehicle, of a pair of flexible space-d plates connected with one of the aforesaid etvreen the ends there- I bdlt-s.

pletcs intermediate between the ends there of, and one or more bolts extendin r through the cndotsaid plates, one of said plates hav an elongated slot or slots for said bolt or 20. The CtlllllJllltttiOH, with the frame and axle members of a vehicle, of a pair of flexible plates connected together and to one of said vehicle members, and a friction slide connccted to the other member and bein of greater thickness than the normal Widt 1 of the space between the points at which said plates are connected, said space forming a smooth, unbroken path for said slide, sub

stantially as specified.

vehicle members, a friction device opera-f tively connected with the other vehicle meniber and engaging opposite portions of said In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

(LAUD H. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

IDA DUNHAM, NATHAN F. FRETTEN. 

